How Many Leaves are on a Shamrock? Contest ends March 31, 2016

A Story by Michele Kreinheder | Updated 03/17/2016 10:33pm

FRONT PORCH NEWS

with Michele KÂ Â 562-243-2171

Open in Gallery

On a Personal Note

I hope you enjoy thisÂ 'first' Monday of the Month Coffee Front Porch Newsletter. The feedback was so overwhelming positive on the print version, I decided to share the email version as well.
I will be back with our regular Monday Morning Coffee on March 21. IÂ am giving myself a birthday break! Anyone else a Pisces out there?
In the meantime, I hope you have a nice St. Patrick's Day and thank you for taking time to read this Newsletter.

Already in Escrow!

2001 Tevis Avenue | $729,000Last weekend's Open Houses were super busy. This lovely, well-priced home brought in multiple offers and the sellers are delighted.
Special thank you to everyoneÂ who stopped by to preview.

Open in Gallery

Coming Soon!Adorable 3 bed/1 bath Los Altos Starter Home. Excellent curb appeal. Under $600K
*****
Exquisite Los Altos Home. Wait until you see the kitchen, baths and backyard!
Under $800K
****
Need space for family or entertaining. This 4 bed/2 bath well-maintained home in the South El DoradoÂ Park area is perfect.
Priced under $600K

Win a $50 Gift Certificate

Shenandoah at the Arbor, the enchanting Los Alamitos Restaurant has generously provided this month's prize ofÂ a $50 Gift Certificate.Â Itâs easy to win! Find the quiz question inside this newsletter, then email me your answer. Each month, all correct entries have an equal chance of winning.

Last monthâs question: What fruit is also known as the "love apple?"

Answer: The tomato.

Congratulations to Last Month's Winner: Â Don Allison

Open in Gallery

Thank You Friends!

Welcome new clients and Thank You to friends whoâve trusted me to work with you, your friends, family and coworkers. Special thanks this month to...
Mike and Judy Scurlock, Maria DukeÂ

Peep, Peep! All about this Springtime Treat

Open in Gallery

To many children Easter includes eating Peeps, those sugary marshmallow confections that look like chicks or bunnies. If youâve ever wondered where peeps are hatched, here are a few fun facts:
Peeps were created in 1953 by Sam Born, a Brooklyn based candy maker in the US.
The first Peeps were squeezed by hand from a pastry tube, and each one took hours to make. Today they take six minutes each.
5.5 million Peeps are created every day, which amounts to two billion Peeps a year. Thatâs enough to circle the Earth three times.
Peeps recipes include Peeps fondue, pizza, and sushi. Artists construct Peeps art for The Washington Postâs annual Peeps Diorama Contest. And many young people look forward to blowing up a package of Peeps in the microwave, just to watch.

Free Consumer Report

Would you ever sell your house at auction?

Everyone knows what an auction is â bidders place bids and the highest bid wins. Auctions create energy and excitement that causes things to sell on the spur of the moment. People become swept up in the moment, and they feel that if they don't bid higher, they'll lose something of value.
What if you could sell your house using the energy of an auction without having to do an actual auction? You can, by setting up the circumstances of your sale in advance and giving it the effect of an auction...without actually doing an auction.
If youâre thinking of selling soon, grab a copy of my report:
How to Use the Auction Effect to Sell Your House Faster

Two Generations Seeking Micro-Living

A trend in housing is growing around the world, especially in large cities.Both millennials and baby boomers are looking for scaled down micro-living units, similar to well-appointed motor homes. But there are no chemical toilets here!
Micro-living units are as small as 200 sf/19 sm, and the better ones are designed using space-saving features that often make us exclaim, âOh, thatâs cute!â But donât call them efficiency apartments, which sounds like bare-bones living.
With magazines and fan sites devoted to tiny space living, these units have reached new heights in fun and functional appeal.
But what accounts for the sudden explosion of interest in micro-units? The answer is the intersection of two large population groups.
Millennials are attracted to homes that are a significant step-up from college dorm living, without a huge leap in cost.
Seniors are interested in downsizing into an affordable lifestyle without having to settle for bare bones. With a quality micro-unit, what they lose in space, they gain in comfort, convenience, and privacy.
The challenges to building more micro-units to meet this two-pronged demand are that zoning laws and parking often restrict the construction of small units. Also tiny units used to be equated with illegal apartments, and the impression may linger in the minds of some urban planners.
But we can be certain that as our population reaches 10 billion, such living will become more common and even sought after by both renters and home owners.

Just for Fun: I Have a Confession

A young priest went to his older mentor for help. âFather, no one wants to let me hear their confession. What should I do?â
âLet me sit in the confession booth with you and listen to how you conduct yourself,â the elder priest suggested.
After hearing a few confessions, the two priests met in the senior priestâs office. âNow, I want you to try a few things,â the elder priest said. âPractice crossing your arms over your chest and rubbing your chin with one hand.â
The young priest did as he asked.
âNow try saying some things like, âI see â¦ Yes â¦ Go on â¦ I understand â¦ How you feel about that?â
The priest rehearsed the lines until the other one nodded.
âNow,â said the senior priest, âdonât you think that will work better than slapping your knee and saying, âNo way! What happened next?ââ

Open in Gallery

Luck Favors the Preparedâ¦

Getting the most for your home when you sell isnât just about good luck, even on St. Paddy's Day. There are many things you can do to help your home sell for thousands more. Call today for an appointment to plan your home sale and land your own pot o' gold.

562-243-2171

March Quiz Question

Should I buy a condo as an investment?

Great question, and the answer depends. Before buying any investment property, first describe your investment goal. Here are three goals related to a condo investment:

Do you want to sell within X number of years? Before buying, evaluate the direction of the marketârising, falling, or flat. If your goal is to sell in a short time, a flat market may be as bad as a falling market. This becomes harder to predict the longer you hold.

Do you want to hold until you retire, then move in? This works if you can find an "investable" condo (rent covers payment) in a location you'll want to live when the time comes.

Are you looking for cash flow? To have money flowing in, above and beyond what you owe for a mortgage, youâll need to find a property thatâs cheap compared to rents, or put more money down (or pay cash), or buy smart in a sharply rising rental market. In addition to your goals, always evaluate the stability of the HOA before buying.

If you are interested in an investment, letâs meet and look at options in our community, and discuss your goals in the context of what's available. Just call or text to set an appointment.

Mirror Techniques to Add More Natural Light

If your house is cursed with dark spaces, here are 5 ways to use mirrors to bring in more natural light without breaking holes in the walls or roof.

Got a dark hallway? Use mirrors opposite one another to reflect what little light there is back into one another and increase the sense of brightness in the space.

If you have a single window abutting a corner, add a mirror to the adjacent (windowless) corner, creating the effect that you have one large corner window.

Use a floor-to-ceiling mirror in an area behind furniture, such as sofa table, or chest. Add a lamp in front of the mirror to reflect more light at night, too.

Use a mirrored backsplash in the kitchen.

Use a strategically placed mirror outside to reflect sunlight directly into a window at the angle you want. Alternatively, use a white surface, such as painting a fence white, to reflect light into the home.

See you next month!

Don't forget to call or forward this email to friends in need of real estate help.